Is anyone going to do anything about racism in Italian football?

SS LAZIO have always been branded as racist or fascist. Not too long ago, Paulo Di Canio gave a straight-arm salute from the Lazio pitch and publicly defended himself by saying “I am a fascist, not a racist”. Of course, very little was done to remedy this.

Lazio were also the club of Benito Mussolini. “Il Duce” even built the ground the currently play in. And when Di Canio gave his shameful salute during the Rome derby of 2005, Mussolini’s daughter was in the crowd and chirruped; “What a delightful Roman salute!” after the game, adding: “I was deeply moved. I will write him a thank you note.”

So it isn’t surprising that Andre Villas-Boas’ Tottenham side are looking to UEFA to sort out the alleged monkey-chants aimed at players in last night’s Europa League match. It is reported that Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend were all subject to racist taunts from the visiting Lazio fans.

UEFA president Michel Platini was at the game, so is there any excuse for weak-wristed action or playing dumb from the European footballing governing body?

Even if UEFA acts, Lazio has much to remedy should it want to. Right wing parties like the old Alleanza Nazionale used Lazio’s stadium as a recruiting grounds and police are constantly seizing racist and anti-Semitic banners from fans (although, quite often missing numerous infamous 50-meter-long banners which have blighted Italian football).

In one match, Roma fans (traditionally more liberal that Lazio) were greeted with a banner that read, “Auschwitz is your town, the ovens your houses.” In recent years, Lazio’s Ultras have been tied by Italian police to acts of domestic terrorism, with one planted a bomb at a museum dedicated to Italy’s World War II resistance. Lazio fans have also been accused of desecrating Jewish cemeteries.

However, with UEFA’s record of being feeble in the face of fining teams for racist behaviour, it is likely that this latest incident will go largely unpunished.

What do you think should be done against teams who consistently use racist or anti-Semitic chants?

Photo: Lazio’s Paolo Di Canio gives a straight-arm salute to supporters, at the end of the Serie A top league soccer match between Lazio and AS Roma at Rome’s Olympic stadium, in this Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005

The black & jewish players should refuse to play against them or for them.

p.s.

p.s. ..& any other players who feel like standing up should feel free to join them in boycotting this bad behaviour.

mr man

I dunno it’s a tough one,
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I say when in doubt follow the money.
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Perhaps instead of fining the teams who display racist behavior, we should be fining the companies that sponsor the team and advertise on their pitches.
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This would give teams a harsh option.
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Actually get rid of it. or face having no money, thus no players.

p.s.

p.p.s. I’m disappointed but not surprised that non of the Tottenham players had the balls to walk off the pitch upon hearing these reported chants.

rodc

In Holland the Ref can take the players off the pitch if the chants become racist etc.
They talk a lot about this in Scotland, but the police say it would be a recipe for trouble.
Doesnt seem to cause so much trouble in Holland, Ive been there and Ive heard people talking about it, its the same as friends who are Rangers fans, most of them dont mean what they are singing, they just feel its part and parcel of being “at the game”.

The clubs need to do something first, so that the fans consider taking their feelings elsewhere. But Rangers signed catholics from 1990 onwards and its made no difference, they have banned people identified in CCTV, but they can still go to away games. When Uefa banned Rangers fans from European games, STV thought it would be okay to show the Rangers fans who had snuck into the San Siro as if they were heroes.

I think what they do in Holland could work in Scotland, the people who thing its all part of being at the match, are first and foremost there for the football, if they think thats going to be stopped, then they maybe less inclined to join in.